Between running MUTHA™, devoting time to philanthropic efforts, and being a mother, Hope knows a thing or two about balancing her time between work and her family. It may seem tricky at first, but it’s not impossible. Between taking care of yourself and prioritizing your time, you’ll be a work/life balance pro in no time. Here are some tips to help you balance your time.
Tip 1: Take Breaks
It might be tempting to make sure you are using every last second of your time to get work done, but you’re not a robot, and that’s a fast track to burnout! Taking a break can help you reduce stress, retain information, and improve your concentration, saving you time in the long run. Senior lecturer at MIT, Robert Pozen, recommends taking a 15-minute break every 75-90 minutes. Even if you can’t carve out 15-minute breaks, make sure there’s some time for you just to breathe.
Tip 2: Prioritize Your Health
While it’s essential to put time aside for your family and work, you must maintain your mental and physical health so you can be present in whatever moment is in front of you. Maintaining your health can come in different shades for people but here are some habits that can help:
- Daily meditation
- Working out
- Daily affirmations
- Social connections
Tip 3: It’s Okay to Say No
You can’t do everything! It’s a simple fact, but sometimes it’s hard to remember that. Learning to say “no” to additional work and having open lines of communication between you and your supervisor will ensure that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have consistent check-ins with your supervisor so they can help when potential roadblocks arise.
Tip 4: Know When to Ask for Help
When it comes to working and family life, you can’t do it alone. Having a solid support system is so important. Your friends, family, and coworkers are here to support and empower you. Allowing them to help lighten the load can stop smaller worries from piling up and becoming larger issues.
Make Time for Family
Now even though you may be juggling a lot, it’s important to carve out some time to spend with your family. Jobs come and go but the memories that you build in those moments are forever. Hope has never spent a weekend away from her kids, while she schedules some self-care time, it doesn’t hurt to be close by.
Self-Care is Never Selfish
At the end of the day, if you’re doing work that is enriching and makes you feel proud, you bring that positive energy home. And if you get enough time with the people you love, you can take whatever tasks might be thrown your way at work. Maintaining that balance may be challenging at times but it’s also so fulfilling.
Check out some of Hope’s other blogs on daily affirmations and medications to learn how you can face the day refreshed and confident.